Patek Philippe

The Patek Philippe Reference 96 was the first watch released by Jean and Henri Stern following their acquisition of the brand in 1932. For over forty years, this model remained in Patek's catalog, a testament to its enduring design and desirability, and it became one of the most popular models ever offered by the Geneva-based manufacturer. The 96 signified a departure from the brand's traditional naming conventions. Prior to its introduction, Patek Philippe identified watches solely by their case numbers, without assigning specific names to individual models or design families. Therefore, the adoption of reference 96 marked a significant shift in the brand's approach to cataloging their timepieces. This departure from past practice reflected Patek Philippe's recognition of the growing importance of branding and marketing in the evolving luxury watch industry.

Traditionally, reference 96 is most commonly found in yellow gold, but it was also offered in pink gold, white gold, platinum, and steel, like the current example.

The initial (1st) series of the Patek Philippe reference 96 was manufactured until early 1935, distinguished by its utilization of the LeCoultre 12-ligne caliber. Interestingly, this caliber was originally procured mainly for Gondolo pendant watches during the 1910s and 1920s but remained unused due to the economic repercussions of the Great Depression, which significantly impacted production at the time. Consequently, in the earliest iterations of ref. 96, such as this watch, with its movement number dating the movement to circa 1914, some examples lacked a small seconds dial, and the movement featured distinctive gold wheels and a 'snail' regulator, elements specifically crafted for Gondolo watches. Additionally, the current example is fitted with its original ‘sector’ dial, making this one of the earliest and most attractive Ref 96 to come to the public market.